High-tension converter system.



P. C. HEWITT.

HIGH TENSION CONVERTER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, I906.

l ,151 ,670. Patented Nov. 23,- 1915.

of January,

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PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 1'0 COOPEBQ'E-IEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

, HIGH-TENSION CONVERTER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 19133.

Application filed March 14, 1906. I Serial No. 305,990.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER Coornn' In supplying the need forhigh tension' vapor converters, recourse has been had to a number of expedients, some of which, among others, are described and illustrated in applications for Letters Patent of the United States filed by me on the 11th day l 1906, Serial Numbers 295,537

- and 295,538.

transformer, the terminals of a tubular bar or globe,

The present invention aims at a difi erent embodiment of apparatus for servingas a high-tension converter and in some respects the present a paratus possesses advantages which are di erent from those set forth in the applications named.

The organization of apparatus disclosed in the present application is of advantage over prior systems in the effectiveness and in the range of its steadiness of operation tree from shortcircuits and its general adaptability; The particular type of vapor devices shown are especially suitable for operation on alternating circuits and the arrangement of auxiliary apparatus is especially favorable for supplementing the other protective features.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, Which besides containing a diagram of suitable electrical circuits also shows with some detail of construction the vapor converters which I may employ in connection with the said system of circuits. In the drawing 1 is the primary of a.

being joined to asuitable source of alternating current. 2 is the secondary of the said transformer and its terminals are joined by conductors 3 and 4 to leads 5 and 6, the

to a positive electrode 7 inside a chamber chamber 10. The chamber 9 is formed on element, 11, the inner extremity ends within an exhausted chain- 12, While the chamber 10 is of. which similarly connected With a tubular element 5.3, terminating inside an exhausted globe this 'primaryglobe 23 and its 9 and the latter- ,of which is joined to a'positive 8 insidea or chamber 14. The entire apparatus represented by the elements 9, 11 and 12, is exhausted to a high degree of vacuum and the same is true of the apparatus represented by the elements 10, 13 and 14-.

The electrodes 7 and 8 are positive electrodes, say, of iron or some other solid conducting material. At the bottom of the chamber 12 is formed a pocket in which an electrode 15 of mercury or other conducting I liquid as potassium and sodium amalgam is placed and at the lower end of the ing a similar electrode 16. Leads 17 and.18 extend respectively, from the electrodes 15 and 16 to solid positive electrodes 19 and 20 contained in. tubular elements 21 and terminating inside an exhausted globe or chamber 23. In the circuit between the lead 17 ductor 28-through a. resistance 29. l The elec-' trode 26 is joined through a Work circuit 30 containing inductance as 39 and resistance as 38 to an intermediate point in the secondary 2 of the transformer 1-2.

It will be convenient to consider the globe or chamber 12 and the parts associated therewith as a. single converter,or preferably as a check valve. The same term, it will be convenient to apply to the globe or chamber 14 and the parts intimately associated therewith. At the same time, the

connected parts may conveniently be called a vapor converter. In any case, it will be observed that the wellknown valve trodes in the check valve 12 is placed in series with the similar action taking place in the converter 23; the same being true as related to the check valve 14 and the converter 23. It will further be observed that the several positive electrodes are screened from each other and from the correspondingnegative electrodes for electrical reasons existing Within the device so as to render it chamber 14a similar pocket is formed containaction of the positive elecmore perfect in operation. In other Words the form of the chamber and the walls of the containers in virtue of their constituting screens 01' shields therefor serve to preserve unimpaired the starting reluctance of the anodes and prevent short circuits and steady the operation of the apparatus.

The converter 23 may be started by the well-known tilting method or in any other preferred way, while the check valves 12 and 1-1- may be self-starting on the potential of the line.

To assist in the starting of the last named devices I may employ starting bands 31 and 32 each being suitably connected to the leads of the respective check valves. At the same time, bands 33 and 3t placed outside the tubes 11 and 13 in the neighborhood of the positive electrodes 7 and 8 may be utilized to strengtl'ien the valve action of the said positive electrodes.

The translating devices in the work circuit may be represented by a storage battery 35, lamps 3G, 36, or any other suitable devices.

In a. divisional application'filed August 23rd, 1909, Serial Number 514,331, claims are made upon certain specific constructions of an individual element. v

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with an alternating electric source, and a direct current Work circuit supplied thereby, of intermediate rectifying devices comprising independently inclosed electric valves and a main electric 3 rectifier, the said intermediate rectifying devices being located in the anode leads of the main rectifier.

2. The combination with an alternatingvelectric source, a direct current work ch circuit, of a vapor rectifier having a plu- 5 rality of anodes and a cathode, said anodes being connected to points of different potential in said source, and an additional eX- hausted vapor device having the property of transmitting current in onedirection but not in the other, said vapor device being located in the natural path of short circuit currents flowing from said source on the 7 failure of an anode in the said rectifier, and

so connected as to oppose the formation of such short circuit currents. Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 9th day of March A. D. 1906.

v PETER COOPER HEWITT.' -Witnesses I WM. H. CAPEL, Gronen H. STQCKBR'IDGE. 

